Patricia Chidlaw describes her works as “urban landscapes” to distinguish them from people-less outdoor scenes and seascapes in nature.
But that doesn’t tell the whole story of her art.
She could be described as an illustrator of everyday American life.
Chidlaw’s paintings — even with cell phones and modern cars — have a certain “midcentury modern” Americana look to them: the laundromat, the motel, the car wash.
But, as she describes them, “… they are all contemporary scenes, recently observed.”
It feels as though the artist captured a point in time in a narrative — and there is more to the story if you wait long enough.
And then there is a certain mood conveyed: pensive, ruminative, wistful even, that make them intriguing.
As a teenager, Chidlaw was fortunate enough to grow up and study in Europe … and we are fortunate to have her in our community.
Chidlaw has had exhibitions all over California, and right now her paintings are on exhibit at Sullivan Goss, at 11 E. Anapamu St., through July 22.
BUT! You can also click here to view more of her Nighthawks work online.
Peter and the Painting
This reminds me of another wonderful artist: Peter Clark.
Yes, THAT Peter Clark, who so sadly passed away three years ago this August. Of course, you remember him for his music, music music.
Clark was also an artist, a painter. Bold and colorful canvases.
I specifically liked the pieces he did with a musical theme, incorporating a keyboard or saxophone. He had a showing at a gallery on State Street up around the Arlington Theatre at one point.
I loved those paintings, and now wish I had acquired one of his music-themed pieces.
So around 12 years ago, Clark and I were both at a benefit event for Art from Scrap.
There were some 100(?) paintings on 9 x 9 boards donated by local artists hanging on the wall for sale.
Some were sold right away, but were left up for others to view and enjoy through the exhibit — but they had a red sticker on the side to let you know they had already sold.
I caught up with Clark there and we toured the walls and compared notes. I told him there were two pieces I would have liked — but both were already sold.
One I think was actually his, and then he asked me to show him the other one I liked. It was a pretty Paris bistro scene. A little treasure.
Then he pointed out some of the paintings he was impressed with.
At the end of the event, everyone was picking up the paintings they had bought. Clark called over to me: “Don’t leave yet, I have something I need to give you.”
Then he handed me a little painting. It was the very painting that Clark knew I wanted, the Paris bistro scene … and he had been the buyer! And he signed it to me as a thank you for performing with him on one of his albums.
The artist was Martha Inman Lorch, whom I have come to know since then. I have even been to her house and loved everything she had hanging on the walls.
Her medium is watercolor, but she manages to pull such intensity and vividness out of the medium, and seemingly to layer her colors (how she do dat? … It’s watercolor!).
And she captures such wonderful scenes. OK, I admit. I like “pretty” paintings. And Lorch’s scenes are a delight to the eye.
If you are not familiar with her artwork, here is your chance to check it out. A show of her paintings — with the theme “Far From Home — Fine Art Watercolors inspired by Travel” — is being exhibited at Gallery Los Olivos.
These are paintings from Lorch’s travels to Spain, Norway, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Myanmar, Egypt, China, Botswana and more.
In addition to paintings, there are images of watercolor sketches with commentary from her artist’s travel journal.
The show continues through Sunday at the gallery at 2920 Grand Ave. in Los Olivos.
Symphonic Scenes of Europe
Speaking of more scenes of Europe — with music and architecture to be exact — well, it all took place in Europe over the last two weeks.
Sixty-six Santa Barbarans — members of the MClub of Montecito Bank & Trust and many Santa Barbara Symphony supporters — came together on a “Cruise for a Cause,” a fundraiser for the symphony!
So half of the AmaWaterways luxury riverboat was filled with Santa Barbarans who explored Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Bratislava, Budapest and Kraków.
Among the gang were Carla Amussen; Hazel and John Blankenship; Gail and John Campanella; Pam Cox and daughter Michelle Eulenhoefer, and grandkids Jake Eulenhoefer and Stephanie Orr; Helga Morris; Anne Luther; Bruce Stark; Barbara Rosenblum; Ellen and Tom Orlando; Susan and Paul Zink; and many more.
It was a great group of fun, friendly people, with the bank’s Maria McCall arranging all the details and the symphony’s Julie Askew putting things in order.
Our illustrious conductor, music and artistic director Nir Kabaretti, was aboard and, being that he graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, you know he had great connections.
So he pulled some strings and viola! (pun intended) he arranged some very special one-of-a kind musical events for us.
This started with musical experiences in Vienna — a private piano concert at Bösendorfer Pianos next door to the famed Musikverein, home to the Vienna Philharmonic.
Then a breathtaking classical evening concert in the Hofburgkapelle, with a small string and flute ensemble and one stunning coloratura whose voice was magnificent with the acoustics of the chapel.
It was heavenly, and very moving.
Hungary for more good music (yes, another possible pun therein), our group attended the the current production of Aïda at Budapest’s glorious Hungarian State Opera House, conducted by Maestro Kabaretti’s good friend, Maestro Carlo Montanaro.
The orchestra was on fire! The singers were perfection! That glorious opera house! Fantastic sets! Everything was magical!
Well … except for the costumes.
For the life of me I cannot resist a commentary on the costumes. I assume the budget ran out and they had to “make do.”
The costumes for the Moorish slaves looked like Early Egyptian Gold’s Gym, but I could overlook that, out of respect for possible budgetary constraints.
But you should never cut corners for the two most important roles.
That is, the two leading ladies! It appears they were costumed by someone who had a personal vendetta against them.
First clue: For stage, do not EVER-ever-ever put satin on a woman of a certain volume. Even if you use black.
Second clue: The leading lady (Aida) is an Ethiopian slave; the other (Amneris) is the Egyptian king’s daughter. Soooo, I am a-thinking: they should not both be wearing black satin with gold trim, n’est-ca pas?
Aida’s dress looked like something that would have been worn by Florence Foster Jenkins. The beautiful soprano gave a stunning performance but her costume was an irritating distraction for me.
The mezzo-soprano in the role of Amneris at least had the appropriate colors on: black satin and gold, or black satin with gold, and also black satin adorned with gold stuff.
So she looked vaguely like royalty, but her robe needed to be more stately and complementary.
In one act she had a full, hip-length sheer black cover (over her black satin dress). It looked like maternity wear.
I’m no expert in opera costuming, but I’m pretty sure that was not the right look for the part of the young Egyptian princess.
Anyhoo, back to the good stuff. Kabaretti’s personal special treat for us was the morning lectures he gave.
One was on the classical Viennese composers, Mozart and then moving through transitionary Beethoven and on to the Romantic period and Strauss.
Probably the most appreciated lecture for the nonmusicians was Kabaretti’s explanation of the role of the conductor (why is that guy waving his hands up there and does it do any good?).
Kabaretti is a master at his craft, and he is engaging as a speaker who clearly wants his audience to understand the meat of all the music. These were treasured talks.
And now the coda:
Several of us were on the same final flight home on United Airlines, including Cathy Cash, James Paul Garcia and Bruce McRoy. The on-board commercial came on with the United theme “Rhapsody in Blue” played by a studio orchestra.
Kabaretti leaned forward to tell us that some of the musicians — timpani, violins, etc. — in that commercial orchestra were actually members of the Santa Barbara Symphony!
Thus, the perfect ending note to our travel.
